Eye creams for Winter!

Tired eyes are not the best look when you have that presentation of your career to give, that appraisal at work where you are hoping for a pay rise or promotion or even for date night with the hubby/boyfriend and so on.  There are times when no matte how much concealer you slap on, those suitcases under your eyes just will not go into hiding. It might not even be a lack of sleep that could be the issue, indeed for me, it is often dry eyes or even dehydrated skin under my eyes that is an issue.  In the winter, I always ensure I up my skincare regime and that includes more moisture, more protection, I continue to use an SPF, I exfoliate more and I also power through facial mists in an bid to ensure my skin remains moisturised as I go from a heated home or office out into the cold.

Eye-creams are for me, a big part of my skincare routine and whilst I am currently obsessed with eye masks (that is another post) I do use an eye cream and the two that I am currently using are:

Kiehls Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado £20.  Now I love Avocados and I love Kiehls, so a combination of the two is quite possibly dreamy. The texture of the cream is really lovely. It is rich, thick, luxurious and incredibly hydrating and soothing. You only need a really small amount for the under eye area. 

I use my index finger to gently apply and pat the cream in. Having said it is rich and thick textured, if you find it is quite solidified, then run your finger across the top of the pot, it melts with the heat from your fingers to allow you to apply it.  Once applied to the skin, it feels incredibly smooth and it is hydrating and I have really enjoyed trying it and wouldn't rule out a repurchase.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Sync Complex II £40 (I have the mini version) - I absolutely love that this sample is an exact replica of the full sized version making it uber cute. The gel creme has a formula which is rich, luxurious and just disappears into the skin. Said to maximize the power of night to re-ignite the vital, youthful-looking light that can fade due to fatigue, pollution and age. Using the advanced formula with the exclusive ChronoluxCB technology, it helps significantly inhibit the appearance of visible damage: fine lines, crow's feet, dark circles, puffiness, dryness and uneven texture. 

What I love about this eye cream is how luxurious it feels on the skin and it is one of those products that just absorbs on contact so there is no need to really pat the under eye area too much.

Alongside Kiehls and Estee Lauder, I have my eye (no pun intended) on other creams that have had really good reviews.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue £40 - I have read so many reviews and comments on Charlotte Tilbury skincare that I am itching to give it a try.  One item that has caught my attention is the Magic Eye rescue. Said to be a new formula which will help to reduce the appearance of eye bags and dark circles, smooth crow`s feet, minimise fine lines and re-energise the delicate under eye area where the first signs of ageing often occur. This miracle Magic Eye Rescue is described as being 'a revitalising and reinvigorating, anti-ageing rescue remedy that gets to work to slow down the ticking time bomb of ageing'. Which sounds too good to be true but one I feel I have to try.

La Prairie Essence Of Skin Caviar Eye Complex 15ml (£107) - I have always been intrigued by La Prairie because firstly the price is usually a wow factor and secondly do you really get value for money?  The La Prairie Essence of Skin Caviar eye complex caviar extract is described as being the perfect pick-me-up for the sensitive skin surrounding your eyes, this lightweight, rapidly penetrating gel acts like a mini eyelift. Add to that it is said to be instantly firming, nourishing and re-energizing the eye zone, it also improves its tone and texture, minimizing fine lines and wrinkles while brightening and hydrating the delicate tissue and soothing away signs of stress and fatigue. One thing that did grab my attention is that is also claims to help increase the staying power of eye makeup.

Lancôme Advanced Génifique Eye Serum Light-Pearl 20ml (£46) - Lancome is a brand that is everywhere right now, whether it is with its skincare products or cushion makeup products and as a brand, it is one which has caught my attention.  This Eye serum is said to be a new and improved formula for our best-selling eye serum. Reduces the appearance of eye bags, whilst targeting the look of wrinkles and lines around the skin of your eye contour to look fresher and younger. This cooling serum massages the eye area to revive your eyes` youthful and radiant appearance.

Benefit Firm It Up Eye Serum (£28.50). Firm it up! eye serum helps to visibly tighten & brighten the delicate skin around your eyes. The lightweight texture absorbs in seconds, leaving skin feeling refreshed, smooth and silky-soft. Feel the firmness, see the brightness. Having seen a preview of this at a Benefit Press Day I cannot wait to give it a try. One thing people tend not to think about when it comes to Benefit is their skincare which happens to be pretty darn good!

Do you find that you up your skincare routine in the winter?

*this post contains PR samples/affiliate links unless indicated otherwise

It's all in the Eyes!

Just like going to the dentist, getting your eyes tested is really important. I know that, you know that but it is one 'thing' that I always put off.  Infact I haven't been for over five years oops and it isn't as though the television advertisements are not a constant reminder.

I am short-sighted or what is referred to as mild myopia, which is not too severe but enough that I need to wear glasses when watching the TV, driving, reading a book/Kindle and sitting at a computer.  I went through a phase of wearing daily contact lenses, but a very drunken night out led to my forgetting I had them in and it was painful to remove them and my vanity was shoved to one side and I was back wearing glasses, not something I like wearing, but they are must.

So I need to go and have my eyes tested again to see if there has been any improvement or to see if I need new glasses and where I live there are not many easy accessible places to get to despite living on a high street.  Do I choose one of two independent optometrists or something more recognised like Optical Express?  I did use Boots for a time but my local store moved their resources to a new bigger store.  So for me it is more about finding somewhere new that I am comfortable with, a bit like going to the hairdressers, when my regular stylist who had been doing my hair for over ten years left, I suddenly didn't want to go to that salon anymore, even though everyone in there knew me and were very friendly.

I know I am going to have to go and have my eye tested, I need new glasses, my current ones (Silhouette Rimless) are in need of refreshing and there is now so much more choice than there was and even apps you can use on some online sites to upload your photo and choose your frames, something I have spent hours doing and here is my shortlist:

However I do need to get my eyes tested first before I can buy glasses!

How often do you have your eyes tested? Is it a regular appointment or are you like me and go infrequently?

Benefit Puff Off instant Eye Gel

Benefit Puff Off is one of those products I have been itching to get my hands on and now have. I was intrigued by the design as soon as I saw it and wanted to know whether it was worth the hype.

Described as being an instant eye gel to help smooth the look of undereye puffiness and it is claimed by Benefit that " Undereye puffiness and creases look “satiny smooth” with our innovative undereye gel".

Puff Off retails at £22.50 and is packaged within this 10ml squeezy cream coloured tube, but for me, the most exciting part is the silver metal iron shaped applicator which dispenses the gel. The applicator is brilliant, I love everything about it and if ever there was something to capture your attention about or on a product it is this. That aside, of course the iron shaped applicator is also a functional part of the product as the metal is really cooling on the undereye area and better still the pointed iron works really well at getting into those small crevices around the eye.

The gel, which I put in the fridge the night before for an extra treat. The gel is a pinky/peach colour so it works really well to correct those dark undereye circles. It also contains light reflecting particles which help to brighten up the eye area to make you look more wide awake which is an absolute godsend. So how does it work? Well the gel contains a peptide blend plus an antioxident which work together to help reduce the puffiness, add to that the cooling metal applicator and within minutes of applying, you should notice a difference. One word of warning before you use this product is not to squeeze it too hard because the gel will shoot off everywhere and there is no way of getting it back inside the tube, that said, a slight squeeze is more than enough to release plenty of product for both eyes.

When it comes to the actual application is is really easy. All you simply need to do is ‘dot’ the gel underneath both eyes, and then using the iron tip smooth the gel in. Given the lightweight formula of the gel, it is not greasy or sticky and absorbs itself into the skin really quickly. Benefit state that you can apply the gel before or after your makeup and it can be applied throughout the day as you see fit. I use mine first thing in a morning if I have had a late night, struggled to sleep or just feel the need to use it and then if I am going out in an evening, I tend to reach for it then too.

I absolutely love this little gem of a product from Benefit and for me it lives up to all its promises and hype and is well worthy of investing in.

Tesco Advent Calendar - Week Two

This is the second week of opening my Tesco Beauty Advent Calendar and I have to say, week one was pretty brilliant, you can see that post HERE.  This week had much to live up to I think in terms of how good the contents have been, so this is what I have:

Day 8 - Elizabeth Arden Red Door Perfume Sample. 

Named after the famous Red Door spas of Elizabeth Arden. An initial burst of red roses gradually becomes more of a floral bouquet combining lily of the valley with tuberose, jasmine and freesia.  Now I am personally not a fan of Elizabeth Arden products, they just don't don't do it for me, be it the 8 hour cream or perfumes, I am yet to find something that has made me go wow.  That said, this is a nice scented perfume, though I do feel it is for someone older than me in my 30's.

Day 9 - PRO Formula purifying thermal face mask sachet 

The Pro Formula Purifying Thermal Face Mask deeply cleanses, helps to open pores and absorb excess oils. Enriched with white willow bark and vitamin E complex, in combination with a warming effect, it helps to draw out impurities and clear excess dirt leaving the skin feeling fresh. It is also hypoallergenic.

Day 10 - Nip + Fab Viper Venom Eye Fix RRP 

Smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eye area with Viper Venom Eye Fix from Nip+Fab. This refreshing eye gel with a cooling roll-on applicator contains wrinkle minimising liftonin xpress and sy-nake with red algae to decrease the appearance of dark circles. The Nip+Fab Viper Venom Eye Fix is suitable for all skin types.

Day 11 - So Eco Foundation Brush RRP 

So Eco presents the Foundation Brush, designed as a premium make-up brush whilst being completely environmentally friendly. The head, filled with super-soft bristles is hand-cut and tapered to cover under-eye circles and imperfections to achieve a smooth complexion using liquid or powder make-up. The Foundation Brush handle by So Eco is made from ecologically sustainable bamboo providing additional comfort with a recycled aluminium ferule.

The Foundation Brush gift box is made with cardboard from managed forests that have been approved by the PEFC. The So Eco packaging features a window made from cornstarch and is held together using water-based adhesives. The box design was printed using vegetable inks with no harmful effects to the environment.

Day 12 - Korres Citrus Shower Gel

I am a huge fan of Korres products, so am delighted to see this in my Calendar.
It is a soft moisturising showergel, ideal for everyday use. Wheat proteins form a protective film on the skin, maintaining its regular hydration level. It smells absolutely amazing, very citrusy and the kind of scent which is guaranteed to wake you up in the morning when you are half asleep.

Day 13 - Tesco Reflect and Perfect Compact Mirror

Not the best compact mirror I have ever had I have to say. It is quite cheaply made and put together but is alright for chucking in my overnight bag in case of emergency. 

Day 14 - Dead Sea Spa Magik Delicate Boosting Masque

Gentle enough for the most dry and sensitive skins, Delicate Boosting Mask is a smooth and creamy hydrating mask containing Dead Sea Mud and Harmonised Water. It has an Allergen-Free Fragrance and contains no paraben and states it will give skin a fresher look and healthy glow as well as improve the skins texture, remove impurities and is deeply nourishing.

So there it is, week two of my advent calendar and I have to say that once I again I am impressed with the content.  I will use all of those products and cannot wait to see what I find behind the doors of week three!

What do you think?